Empty Stocking Fund: Mission earmarks ESF funds for seniors this Christmas

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Debbie Daoust began the Mission Group Companies Society’s Secret Santa for Seniors’ program in 2017.

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“I used to be working at Mission Group Companies Society because the United Method Higher at House coordinator,” she writes in an e mail. “Seniors had been expressing their issues almost about Christmas and why they weren’t included together with the children at Christmas. There are numerous seniors who dwell alone and would not have household round them at Christmas time.”

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Within the first yr, she included seniors at Mission Memorial Hospital and in house complexes in this system.

“Every individual acquired a present and a meals hamper. When delivering the presents and meals the primary yr, there have been tears, laughter and a complete lot of hugs from the entire seniors, particularly for those having to spend time within the hospital at Christmas.”

On behalf of this system, Daoust began accumulating donations and placing them in a spare workplace.

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“We packaged up the presents within the boardroom on the weekends. After a few years, I ran out of house so we began having the donations delivered to the Christmas bureau location,” she writes.

The Mission Group Companies Society has been operating this system out of that location ever since.

“The primary yr I believe was simply over 150 presents,” she writes.

This system expanded to incorporate the homeless and people with a really low revenue, together with seniors. Over time this system grew to over 350 presents handed out.

However this yr, donations to this system have been low, Tracy McCarthy says.

“We simply haven’t had as many donations this yr as we usually do for the seniors,” mentioned the Mission Group Companies Society Housing & Outreach supervisor. “It’s particular issues, like slippers, nightgowns, housecoats, hygiene merchandise. And if we all know that they like knitting or cross-stitching, relying on whether or not we get these provides, we’ll embody these as properly.”

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Every year, teams just like the Mission Group Companies Society obtain donations from readers of The Province by means of the Empty Stocking Fund. Cash collected by way of the ESF goes to 26 Christmas bureaus and neighborhood providers within the Decrease Mainland. To donate, please full and ship within the hooked up kind.

The Mission Group Companies Society additionally offers Christmas hampers to households in want.

“We’re serving over 400 hampers to single households and households this yr,” McCarthy mentioned.

The baskets embody fixings for a turkey dinner and a grocery present card.

The Mission Group Companies Society additionally fingers out toys acquired by way of numerous drives. A employees of about 39 volunteers hand-out the baskets and toys to individuals who register. For the Secret Santa for Seniors’ program, the presents are delivered.

“Lots of people mechanically assume that Christmas is for the little ones, which it’s,” McCarthy mentioned. “However we even have seniors who’re alone and don’t have household left, and so they deserve one thing as properly.”

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